Shinde government clears 140 acres in Madhya Pradesh for Dharavi project

By Bricksnwall | 2024-10-11

The state cabinet approved 140 acres in Madh for Dharavi residents' rental houses, raising uproar over alleged favouritism for businessmen.

Mumbai: On Thursday, the state cabinet approved a proposal to grant 140 acres of land in Madh to resettle Dharavi people as part of the Dharavi rehabilitation project. The land will be utilised to build affordable rental housing for Dharavi inhabitants who are not qualified for free housing under the rehabilitation project. The Hindustan Times reported about the initiative in its October 6 edition.

An additional 55 acres of the same land parcel would be allocated to the Aditya Birla group for a hospital, a housing society for MLAs, the Swami Narayan Trust, and a private music academy. The MLAs were allocated plots in Versova, but they were unable to develop them because to constraints imposed by the Coastal Regulation Zone announcement.

Dharavi inhabitants have already received 255 acres of salt pan land in Kanjurmarg and Mulund, as well as 21.25 acres in the Kurla dairy, as part of the rental housing project. The state has rejected a plan for Dharavi rental homes at the former octroi checkpoints in Mulund and Dahisar, but may allot the now-defunct Deonar dumping ground for the project.

Madh is mostly a No-Development Zone (NDZ) due to its seaside location. There is also an Air Force base here. However, early this year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) approved regulated development, including IT parks in this area. With the Mumbai Coastal Road set to reach Versova, development is catching up with this peaceful and beautiful suburb.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi reacted to the assignment on Thursday, criticising the ruling Mahayuti alliance. In a tweet on the social media site, X, she wrote, "The Mahajhoothi government's shamelessness knows no bounds." Ladka (Favourite) Industrialist receives another land parcel under the guise of 'Dharavi Redevelopment'. Clearly, this government was supporting Modani's interests rather than the people of Maharashtra."

Varsha Gaikwad, president of the Mumbai Congress, could not hold back the mockery. In her tweet on X, Gaikwad stated that it was merely another land tract given to the "Modani Vikas Project"! She said, "Is there no end to their greed? The government raced through various measures in order to continue looting Mumbai before the rule of conduct took effect. And, once again, they have decided on yet another property parcel to be donated to the Modani development project."

Gaikwad's tweet continued, "In addition to Madh Island, they have decided to give a land parcel in Borivali to the Dharavi redevelopment project." How much land do they need for this project? We have stated from the beginning that there are no disqualified residents; all residents of Dharavi are eligible. This entire deception of housing unqualified residents is nothing more than a cunning land grab to benefit the Mitra (friend) of this regime. Shame!"

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has received 502 hectares of land in Dapchari village, Dahanu, Palghar district. The site was supposed to be reserved for dairies that would be relocated from Aarey Colony, however many dairies refuse to move.

The MIDC was interested in developing this area because of its proximity to the new Vadhavan Port in Palghar district and the neighbouring projected Murbe Port. This, however, will result in a massive loss of green cover, prompting former secretary of the state Dairy Development Department, Tukaram Mundhe, to oppose the transfer of this area.

Source: Hindustan Times